Views from a United Church of Christ Minister

Sunday, December 20, 2009

Oregon Religious Leaders To Wyden, Merkley: Help Homeless Kids In School

December 20, 2009

The Honorable Ron Wyden

The Honorable Jeff Merkley

Dear Senator Wyden and Senator
Merkley:

As leaders of faith communities
in Oregon deeply concerned with the needs of homeless children, we are writing
to ask you both to sign-on as co-sponsors of S. 2800 and S. 2801.These two pieces of legislation would provide
critically needed educational opportunities for homeless youth and children in
foster care.

As you know, on Sept. 18th, 2009,
State Superintendent of Schools, Susan Castillo, announced that the number of
homeless students in Oregon public schools during the 2008-2009 school year had
risen 14% from the previous year, and totaled 18,059 students who were homeless
for some or all of the school year.The
first academic year that Oregon conducted a statewide count of homeless
students in the public schools was 2003-04, and in that year the count
identified 8,143 homeless students.The
number has increased every year since, and currently stands 122% above the
2003-04 levels.

On Thursday, November 19, US
Senators Patty Murray and Al Franken introduced the "Educational Success
for Children and Youth Without Homes Act of 2009," S. 2800, and the
"Fostering Success in Education Act of 2009," S. 2801.

The "Educational Success for Children
and Youth Without Homes Act of 2009," S. 2800, amends the McKinney-Vento
Act's Education for Homeless Children and Youth program, Title I, Part A of the
Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), and other related titles of the
ESEA. S. 2800 makes a strong law even stronger by reinforcing and expanding its
key provisions, including school stability, enrollment, and support for
academic achievement. S. 2800 also expands authorized funding to meet
transportation needs.

The "Fostering Success in Education Act
of 2009," S. 2801, establishes a new education program to ensure that all
children and youth in foster care have school stability, immediate school
access, and support for academic success. S. 2801 encourages collaboration
across education and child welfare agencies to cover the cost of transportation
to enable foster youth to continue in their school of origin when it is in
their best interest, with ultimate responsibility for the cost of
transportation on child welfare agencies when necessary. S. 2801 requires
school districts to collaborate with child welfare agencies to facilitate
transportation in a cost-effective manner.

Oregon children would greatly
benefit from both these pieces of legislation.As Oregon’s faith community works to alleviate homelessness through
faith-based shelters, support services, fund raising, and advocacy we need the
immediate assistance of our two senators as co-sponsors of S. 2800 and S.
2801.

Please contact Rev. Chuck Currie
at 971-322-7920 or rev@chuckcurrie.com with any additional questions.

Comments

Oregon Religious Leaders To Wyden, Merkley: Help Homeless Kids In School

December 20, 2009

The Honorable Ron Wyden

The Honorable Jeff Merkley

Dear Senator Wyden and Senator
Merkley:

As leaders of faith communities
in Oregon deeply concerned with the needs of homeless children, we are writing
to ask you both to sign-on as co-sponsors of S. 2800 and S. 2801.These two pieces of legislation would provide
critically needed educational opportunities for homeless youth and children in
foster care.

As you know, on Sept. 18th, 2009,
State Superintendent of Schools, Susan Castillo, announced that the number of
homeless students in Oregon public schools during the 2008-2009 school year had
risen 14% from the previous year, and totaled 18,059 students who were homeless
for some or all of the school year.The
first academic year that Oregon conducted a statewide count of homeless
students in the public schools was 2003-04, and in that year the count
identified 8,143 homeless students.The
number has increased every year since, and currently stands 122% above the
2003-04 levels.

On Thursday, November 19, US
Senators Patty Murray and Al Franken introduced the "Educational Success
for Children and Youth Without Homes Act of 2009," S. 2800, and the
"Fostering Success in Education Act of 2009," S. 2801.

The "Educational Success for Children
and Youth Without Homes Act of 2009," S. 2800, amends the McKinney-Vento
Act's Education for Homeless Children and Youth program, Title I, Part A of the
Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), and other related titles of the
ESEA. S. 2800 makes a strong law even stronger by reinforcing and expanding its
key provisions, including school stability, enrollment, and support for
academic achievement. S. 2800 also expands authorized funding to meet
transportation needs.

The "Fostering Success in Education Act
of 2009," S. 2801, establishes a new education program to ensure that all
children and youth in foster care have school stability, immediate school
access, and support for academic success. S. 2801 encourages collaboration
across education and child welfare agencies to cover the cost of transportation
to enable foster youth to continue in their school of origin when it is in
their best interest, with ultimate responsibility for the cost of
transportation on child welfare agencies when necessary. S. 2801 requires
school districts to collaborate with child welfare agencies to facilitate
transportation in a cost-effective manner.

Oregon children would greatly
benefit from both these pieces of legislation.As Oregon’s faith community works to alleviate homelessness through
faith-based shelters, support services, fund raising, and advocacy we need the
immediate assistance of our two senators as co-sponsors of S. 2800 and S.
2801.

Please contact Rev. Chuck Currie
at 971-322-7920 or rev@chuckcurrie.com with any additional questions.

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